THOMAS LANDS ON THE MOORE/CHATHAM LINE (PT. 1)

It’s time to turn attention back to research here in North Carolina …to the family of Joseph Thomas and of their move from Wake County to land along the Moore/Chatham County line. Arriving in Wake County around 1772, by the 1790’s, court minutes chronical the coming of age of Joseph’s children. Listed in crews working the road to Braswell’s Ferry in Chatham County, by the late 1790’s, members of the family are also documented as being insolvent. Such records foretell of change and of the family’s move across the river.

-June 1790. Ordered that the following hands be added to the Road where William Hays Esq. is overseer of towit: Joseph Thomas, Micajah Thomas, John Thomas, Joseph Thomas Jun. and Nathan Allen.

-December 1794. Ordered that the following jury, to wit, Andrew Peddy, Elijah Watson, John Burt, Joseph Thomas, Joseph Thomas Junr., Micajah Thomas, John Thomas, Daniel Oaks, Stewart Hamiliton, Carnaby Stephens, and Richard Hucaby turn the road leading from James Gaines’ esqr. to Braswell’s ferry and report theron to the next Court.

Also in Capt. Peddy’s District for the year 1795: Jos. Thomas one poll, John Thomas one poll, Hillery Thomas one poll, Thomas Berney one poll, William Cook one poll, Thomas Hays two poll, Stewart Hambleton one poll, John Lett one poll, Stephen Matthews one poll, Edwin Stephens one poll, William Spivey one poll.

-September 1797. In Capt. Peddy’s District: Revil Coleburn one poll, John Cook one poll, William Cook one poll, Micajah Thomas two poll, Simpson Wood one poll, George Williams two polls, Amey Gross one poll, William Smith one poll.

We have a clear record of Joseph’s land entries and of the various tracts he acquired through grants issued by the Secretary of State. He and other players in his life likely bought and sold an even larger amount of land though such possibilities go unknown as a court house fire in Wake County destroyed a few of the early deed books. Also, as Joseph and family moved piecemeal to neighboring Chatham County, the selling off of their holdings in Wake County does not fully account for all the land that had originally been granted them. With that in mind, here’s the only three surviving deeds recording the family’s divestment of land in Wake County.

Deed R-320 Wake County NC, 20 Feb 1800, recorded Feb 1803. Joseph Thomas of Chatham County to James Huckabee of Wake. Being an unidentified amount of acreage on both sides of Little White Oak Creek. Witnesses: Jesse Winbourn, James Parker.

Deed U-277 Wake County NC, 1 Jan 1802, registered Feb 1808. Joseph Thomas, David Mimms, & Jacob Leven to William Ragland of Chatham County. Being 169 acres on the east side of the Great White Oak Creek adjoining the county line and Moses Hicks and Woodard’s lands. Witnesses” Thomas (L) Ash, David (x) Waldon, Richard Adams.

At this point it’s time to focus beyond Wake County to Chatham and Moore and to the dynamics of life there. Rather than inundating you with a huge amount of land conveyance data, in this series of posts, I’m trying a new approach in rolling out future chapters of this family story. Please take a look at the following short video. I cannot begin to imagine how to communicate the broken trail of land records in a clear and succinct manner. This video, and others following, will illustrate the move, the changing times as well as my thoughts on how all the loose parts come together. I believe that how we come to learn something is as important as the intended lesson itself. So, please click on the following link and enjoy …I hope this works!